US 4,791,990 A · Liquid removal method system and apparatus for hydrocarbon producing

A system for controlling the operation of a liquid disposal cycle and the operation of a production cycle of a hydrocarbon producing well, comprising:

a pressurized gas source to provide the necessary pressure to force an accumulated liquid from a well tubing disposed within a well into a casing of a hydrocarbon producing well for disposal;
a supply line connected to said pressurized gas source and extending in a well annulus from the surface of said well, and connected to said well tubing below the surface of the earth;
a controller which initiates the steps of production and disposal cycles of said hydrocarbon producing well in response to a pressure differential between predetermined locations within said well tubing, said controller having valve actuating means to actuate a series of valve means to closed or open positions;
a first valve means controlling the flow of pressurized gas from the pressurized gas source into said supply line, said first valve means being actuated to its open or closed positions by said controller;
a second valve means, controlling the flow of said pressurized gas from said supply line to the top of said well tubing, said second valve means being actuated to its open or closed positions by said controller;
check valve means to prevent back flow of gas from said well tubing to said supply line;
a third valve means controlling the flow of vent gas from said supply line to the atmosphere, said third valve means also being actuated to its open or closed position by said controller;
a fourth valve means controlling the flow of produced fluids through said well tubing of said hydrocarbon producing well at the surface;
pressure transmitting means transmitting pressure data within the well tubing to said controller;
data processing means which processes the said transmitted pressure data to determine the frequency and duration of said liquid disposal and production cycles of the hydrocarbon producing well, and accordingly operate said valve actuating means of said controller to start or stop said cycles;
a flow control valve connected to the well tubing below the surface of said well, said flow control valve being biased to an open position to allow well fluid production therethrough, and being moved to a closed position, when fluid pressure in said supply line exceeds a predetermined pressure, said control valve thereby blocking the upward flow of well fluids in the well tubing;
an equalizing means connected to said well tubing to equalize fluid pressure on both sides of said flow control valve before opening said flow control valve, said equalizing means further comprising:
a housing having a flowway therethrough with an inlet communicating with the well tubing below said flow control valve and an outlet communicating with a bypass conduit leading to the well tubing above a closure means of said flow control valve;
a cooperable valve member and valve seat, to control the flow of fluid through said flowway;
a dome gas chamber connected to said supply line, the pressure in said supply line being in equilibrium with the pressure in said dome gas chamber;
pressure responsive means connected to said cooperable valve member, and exposed on one side to the tubing pressure and on the other side to the dome gas pressure, so that when the pressure inside said supply line is reduced, said equalizing means opens to permit passage of well fluid to said bypass conduit to equalize fluid pressure on both sides of said closure means of said flow control valve;
choke means in said dome gas chamber to provide a dampening effect during valve opening by restricting the flow of fluids from said dome gas chamber;
an injection control valve means to control the order of succession of the closing of said flow control valve and gas injection into the lower portion of the well tubing below said flow control valve;
check valve means connecting to an outlet of said injection control valve means to prevent back flow of fluid from well tubing into said supply line;
a passageway in the well tubing through which fluid may be forced from the well tubing into a casing annulus when the well tubing pressure exceeds a predetermined amount;
check valve means connected to an outlet of said passageway to prevent back flow of fluid from casing annulus into the well tubing;
and
pressure regulating means to regulate pressure in said supply line to maintain said equalizing means in closed position during the production cycle of said hydrocarbon producing well.

20 more elements

A method of removing accumulated liquids from a hydrocarbon producing well having a casing with perforations at a producing formation and perforations at a water bearing formation, said casing further having a string of well tubing disposed within it, the method of liquid removal comprising:

(a) sealing off a portion of said casing between a lower hydrocarbon producing formation and an upper water bearing formation,
(b) producing well fluids comprising hydrocarbon fluids and secondary fluids through said well tubing;
(c) providing a flow control valve connected to said well tubing below the surface of the well, said flow control valve being normally open to allow well fluid production therethrough, and when said flow control valve is closed, to block the upward flow of well fluids in the well tubing from below said flow control valve;
(d) providing a supply conduit having a smaller internal diameter than said well tubing to supply pressurized gas from a pressurized gas source to the well tubing, said supply conduit extending in the casing annulus of said producing well and communicating with said well tubing through a port means below flow control valve;
(e) providing a passageway connected to said well tubing, through which liquid can be forced from said well tubing into the casing annulus;
(f) providing check valve means connected to said well tubing below said passageway to prevent downward flow of secondary fluids into the hydrocarbon producing formation;
(g) monitoring the pressure differential within said well tubing during hydrocarbon fluid production to a sales line;
(h) actuating said flow control valve to its closed position when said pressure differential inside said well tubing exceeds a predetermined amount;
(i) injecting pressurized gas through said supply conduit into the well tubing below the closed closure means of said flow control valve to pressurize the fluid therein;
(j) forcing the secondary fluids from the well tubing through said passageway to the casing annulus with said pressurized gas to remove said secondary fluid from said well tubing and to displace said secondary fluids into a water bearing formation above the hydrocarbon producing formation;
(k) monitoring the reduction of differential pressure inside said well tubing due to the removal of said secondary fluid from the tubing;
(l) stopping the flow of said pressurized gas into said supply conduit to stop fluid removal when the pressure differential in said well tubing is reduced to a desired level;
(m) connecting an upper portion of said well tubing to said supply conduit to relieve the pressure inside said supply conduit into said upper portion of said well tubing;
(n) reducing the differential pressure across the closure means of said flow control valve;
(o) opening said flow control valve;
and
(p) opening said well tubing to surface facilities for production.

14 more elements

A fluid pressure actuated flow control valve, connected to a well tubing to control fluid flow through said well tubing, comprising:

(a) a tubular housing having a bore therethrough;
(b) a valve closure member moving between open and closed positions;
(c) a longitudinal operator tube telescopically moveable in a housing bore for controlling the movement of said valve closure member;
(d) resilient urging means for biasing said operator tube in a first direction to open said valve closure member;
and
(e) pressure responsive means for moving said operator tube in a second direction, opposite said first direction, to close said valve closure member in response to fluid pressure transmitted to said pressure responsive means from the surface of said well through a supply conduit extending in a casing annulus.

3 more elements

A method of removing accumulated liquids from a hydrocarbon producing well having a casing with perforations at a hydrocarbon producing formation, said casing further having a string of well tubing disposed within it, the method comprising the steps of:

producing well fluids comprising hydrocarbon fluids and secondary fluids through said well tubing;
providing a flow control valve connected to said well tubing below the surface of the well, said flow control valve being normally open to allow well fluid production therethrough, and when said flow control valve is closed, to block the upward flow of fluids in the well tubing from below said flow control valve;
equalizing the pressure across a closure means of said flow control valve to assist opening of said flow control valve after it has been closed;
supplying pressurized gas from a pressurized gas source to the well tubing through a supply conduit having a smaller inner diameter than the inner diameter of said well tubing, said supply conduit extending in the casing annulus of said producing well and communicating with said well tubing through a port below said flow control valve;
sensing fluid pressure differential between at least two predetermined locations in said well tubing;
providing a passageway, connecting said well tubing to said casing annulus to allow fluid communication therethrough;
preventing the flow of said secondary fluids from said well tubing into said hydrocarbon producing formation by suitable means, such as check valves;
monitoring the pressure differential within said well tubing while said producing well is producing fluid to a sales line;
actuating said flow control valve to its closed position when said pressure differential inside said well tubing exceeds a predetermined pressure;
injecting pressurized gas through said supply conduit into said well tubing below said closed control valve to pressurize the fluid therein;
using said pressurized gas to force said secondary fluids from said well tubing through said passageway means and into said casing annulus, to remove said secondary fluids from said well tubing;
transporting said secondary fluids from said casing annulus to the surface of said well;
monitoring said pressure differential between said predetermined locations in said well tubing during removal of said secondary fluids;
stopping the flow of said pressurized gas through said supply conduit to stop removal of said secondary fluids from said well tubing when said pressure differential in said well tubing is reduced to a predetermined pressure;
connecting an upper portion of said well tubing, above said flow control, to said supply conduit to relieve the pressure inside said supply conduit to the upper portion of said well tubing;
equalizing the fluid pressure above and below said flow control valve with said equalizing means, to allow for the opening of said flow control valve;
opening said flow control valve;
and
producing hydrocarbon fluids through said well tubing to surface facilities.

16 more elements

An apparatus for removing liquids which have accumulated in the production tubing from the production of hydrocarbons comprising;

(a) a tubular housing having a bore therethrough;
(b) a valve closure member moving between open and closed positions;
(c) a longitudinal operator tube telescopingly moveable in a housing bore for controlling the movement of said valve closure member;
(d) resilient urging means for moving said operator tube in a first direction to open said valve closure member;
(e) pressure responsive means for moving said operator tube in a second direction, opposite said first direction, to close said valve closure member in response to fluid pressure;
(f) valve means disposed below said valve closure member and above the point of entry of the hydrocarbons into said tubular housing for encapsulating the accumulated liquids in that portion of said tubular housing between said valve closure member and said valve means;
(g) disposal means mounted in said tubular housing for removing the accumulated liquids from said portion of said tubular housing;
and
(h) a pressurized fluid supply communicating with said pressure responsive means and said tubing housing portion from the surface of said well through a supply conduit;
said pressurized fluid supply transmitting fluid pressure to said pressure responsive means for closing said valve closure member and to said tubing housing portion to displace the accumulated liquids through said disposal means.

7 more elements

Liquid removal method system and apparatus for hydrocarbon producing

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Liquid removal method system and apparatus for hydrocarbon producing

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Abstract

Claims38